Musical instrument



Aug. 10, 1937. w. c. STOWE 2,089,629

MUS ICAL INSTRUMENT Filed May 20, 1935 INVENTOR. W-i. 111'. mm. C. Shawl Patented Aug. 10, 1937 UNITED STATES PATET OFFECE Application May 20,

9 Claims.

This invention relates to musical instruments, and more particularly to a stringed musical instrument having dual sounding boards.

The principal object of the invention is to provide an instrument of this kind which, when played, gives a double tone, i. e., when a string is vibrated, a tone is produced and followed by a similar tone.

Another object is to provide a stringed musical instrument which will give a larger volume of sound than is produced by a conventional instrument of the same type.

Still another object is to provide a stringed musical instrument having a main and an auxiliary sounding board, the auxiliary sounding board being free of suspension from the main sounding board.

Another object is to provide a musical instrument as last described in which the auxiliary sounding board is securely carried within the outer instrument case, yet will function properly.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent during the course of the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification, and in which drawing:-

Figure l is a perspective view of one embodiment of the novel musical instrument as assembled.

Figure 2 is a similar view of the same as disassembled.

Figure 3 is a section, substantially upon the line i-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a perspective View of a second em- 5 bodiment of the novel musical instrument as assembled.

Figure 5 is a similar View of the same as disassembled.

Figure 6 is a section, substantially upon the line 5-8 of Figure 4.

Figure l is a vertical section through a diaphragm member which may be associated with an auxiliary sounding board employed in the r construction.

Figure 8 is a perspective View, on an enlarged scale, of a diaphragm shown in Figure 7 and of a bridge employed in the novel musical instrument shown in Figures 4, 5 and 6.

50 In the drawing, wherein for the purposes of illustration is shown a preferred and a modified form of the invention and wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the letter A designates generally the preferred embodiment of the 1935, Serial No. 22,471

invention, and the letter B the modified form thereof.

It should be borne in mind that, while but one type of stringed instrument is illustrated, by way of example, the invention is applicable to various stringed instruments, particularly those of the V101 and guitar classes.

In each form of the invention, there is shown an outer case iii, comprising a front H, forming sounding board, opposite side walls I2, opposite end walls l3 and M, and a back 85, all enclosing a chamber or compartment It.

The sounding board H, which is the main one, may be provided with a preferably circular aperture or sound hole IT, with its axis intersecting the longitudinal medial line of the sounding board it and, spaced from the sound hole [1, is a second aperture l8, preferably taking the shape of a slot, extending transversely of the sounding board and with its center midway the sides of the case it].

The sounding board shown in Figures 1 to 3 inclusive, carries a conventional tail-piece 19, disposed beyond the slot aperture l8, and nearer the end wall hi this tail-piece !9 may be secured to the sounding board ll in any approved manner, as with a suitable adhesive, such as glue.

In both forms A and B, a conventional fingerboard projects from the end of the outer case I0 nearest the aperture i1, having a portion 2! disposed upon the upper surface of the sounding board and preferably attached thereto, while the finger-board 20 is also provided with a depending portion or button 22, extending along the outer face of the end wall [3, being suitably attached thereto in any approved manner.

Now, with reference to the novel auxiliary sounding board and its associated structure, as disclosed in the preferred embodiment of the invention, the same includes, in addition to the auxiliary sounding board 25, forming an upper or a top wall, side walls 26 and end walls 21.

The auxiliary sounding board has the general shape of the main sounding board H, but is smaller in area. It is provided with a preferably circular aperture or sound-hole 28, axially aligning with the sound hole ill. The side and end walls 26 and 2? are substantially vertical when the auxiliary sounding board is disposed horizontally, and are not as high as the side and end walls l2, l3 and i i. The former are disposed with their lower ends resting upon the back it, and are preferably attached thereto in any approved manner, as with an adhesive such as glue.

The auxiliary sounding board 25, with the walls 26 and 21, and a portion of the back i5, form an inner case 29, defining a compartment 33. Since these walls 25 and 21 are not high as the corresponding walls of the outer case the auxiliary sounding board 25, which forms the upper or top Wall of the inner case is spaced below the main sounding board H, but it will be noted that the distance apart of these two sounding boards is preferably considerably less than the distance apart of the corresponding side or end walls of the inner and outer cases, as may be seen from Figure 3 and inferred from Figure 2. It has been found very desirable to space apart the several end walls and the several side walls mentioned a distance equal. to at least twice the distance apart of the two sounding boards ii and 25. This distance apart of the several side and end walls may be greater than twice the distance stated and, in the example shown, the distance apart of the side and end walls of the two cases is substantially three times that of two sounding boards.

Extending from preferably a diaphragm rnember, to be described, and associated with the auxiliary sounding board 25 is a bridge 35, having a base 32. This bridge M is so disposed that it will project through the slot i ii and it is preferred that it does not come into contact with the walls of the slot.

Suitable strings 33 extend from preferably the free end or peg box of the finger-board over the sound-holes ii and 28, over and in contact with the bridge 3i, and are secured to the tailpiece, as is well known in the art. Upon vibrations of the strings 33, the vibrations are transmitted, of course, to the sound board it tliu'ough the tail piece l9.

The difference between the two forms of the invention, includes a differently shaped tail-piece 36, the same having a depending portion 31, which may extend along the end wall 14 and be attached thereto, as by a tail-pin 38. Both end walls i3 and M of the form B are preferably perforated,

" each by a pair of spaced apart perforations 33,

disposed with their axes upon the vertical medial lines of these end walls, for a purpose later brought out in detail. It will be noted Figure 6 that at least one of each pair of perforations extends through those portions of the two end walls back of the depending members or portions 22 and 31.

With reference to the novel auxiliary sounding board and its associated structure, incorporated in the form B, the same includes, in addition to the auxiliary sounding board it, forming a top or upper wall, side walls 4!, end walls ll-2, and bottom wall 43, all forming a second or inner 44 and defining a compartment 45.

The auxiliary sounding board til is substantially like the auxiliary sounding board having a sound-hole or aperture 46 and disposed in a similar manner. Each end wall 52 is preferably provided with a pair of perforations '31, spaced apart and disposed upon the vertical medial line of their respective end walls. When the instru ment described as form B is assembled, the several perforations 39 in the end walls l3 and I4 align axially with the several perforations in the end walls 42.

Means is provided to suspend the second or inner case 44 within the outer case it of the form B, and includes, preferably, four bridging members or pins 50, which are carried within the several perforations 39 and 41, and may be secured to the inner and outer cases by glue or otherwise. It will be noted that the ends of at least two of these pins 59 extend through the perforations 39, and abut the depending members 2; and 31. It is found that this aids considerably in properly suspending the inner case 44.

The walls 4| and "32 are of a height sufficient to enable the second case M to be suspended free of the front and back walls i l and of the outer case as shown in Figure 6. What has been said with reference to the distance apart of the sounding boards, end and side walls of the outer and inner cases of the form A, applies equally to form B, as may be seen from Figure 6, when compared with Figure 3. l'his is found to be very important for the proper functioning of the instruments.

Suitable strings 33 are disposed upon the form B in a manner substantially similar to those described for the form A.

A suitable bridge 55 is provided and this pref-- erably extends from a suitable diaphragm member, to be described, associated with the auxiliary sounding board 49, through the slot 48, and is braced, as at 58, against the main sounding board ll.

It should be noted that both of the auxiliary sounding boards disclosed in forms A and B are not carried by the main sounding boards at any point whatever and that, aside from the bridges, there is absolutely nothing, such as posts, pins or supports, between the confronting faces of the two sounding boards. This, too, is of vital importance in the proper playing of the instruments.

In form A, the auxiliary sounding board and its associated structure, is carried by the back wall 15, while in the form B, it is suspended from the end walls, but it should be noted, particularly in Figure 6, that the points of suspension are well below the top of the end walls I3 and i4, and that the auxiliary sounding board 49 is not di rectly attached to the walls i3 and M by the pins 50, since the pins extend into the end walls 42 which support the auxiliary sounding board it]. In both forms the auxiliary sounding boards are not, themselves, attached directly to any parts of the outer cases. This, too, is found to be important for the proper functioning of the auxiliary sounding boards.

Preferably, each auxiliary sounding board 25 or 40 is provided with a second aperture which may be round and with its axis upon the longitudinal medial line of its auxiliary sounding board. The axes of these apertures,58 in the sounding board 25 and 59 in the sounding board 4iJ,-substantially intersect the longitudinal medial lines of the slots or apertures 18 and these apertures 58 and 59 are disposed so that they are directly under their respective slot H3 or, in other words, opposed thereto. Disposed in these apertures 58 and 59 are suitable diaphragm members 60 which preferably comprise a sheet 6! of rawhide or similar material, glued or otherwise, suitably secured to a face of a flange 62 projecting outwardly from a collar 63, the flange 62 and collar 63 are, preferably, integral and of the same material as that of the body of the auxiliary sounding board 25 or 40, which may be of wood. This collarr'itsinto the apertures 58 or 59 with its flange 62 resting upon the upper face (i. e., the face confronting the main sounding board) or either of the auxiliary sounding boards 25 or 40.

The object of this diaphragm means or member 60 is to augment the volume of sound, even over that increase produced by the instrument sans the diaphragm means. Of course this diaphragm member need not be fixedly secured to its auxiliary sounding board since the pressure of the strings upon the associated bridge piece holds it in place, aided by the collar 63.

It should be emphasized that there should be no direct connection between the main and auxiliary sounding boards if an instrument of this type is to play satisfactorily, and such a connection is obviated by the construction disclosed.

While it is possible to interchange the two auxiliary sounding boards and their associated structures, or to apply the two bridges disclosed, or the two tail-pieces to either instrument, the arrangement as illustrated gives the best results.

Various changes may be made, accordingly, to the forms of the invention herein shown and described, without departing from the invention or the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a stringed musical instrument having dual sounding boards, a main sounding board having a wall depending therefrom and a back connected with said wall, providing a chamber, an auxiliary sounding board associated with said main sounding board and free of attachment thereto said auxiliary board having a continuous, depending wall spaced from said first named wall and providing a chamber within said first named chamber, and means to secure said auxiliary sounding board and said last named wall to said outer case.

2. In a stringed musical instrument including an outer case having end and side walls and a back, a main sounding board providing the front of said case, a second case wholly within said outer case and including end and side walls confronting corresponding walls of said outer case and an auxiliary sounding board providing the wall of said second case nearest said main sounding board and spaced therefrom, and said end Walls of said second case being spaced a distance from the end Walls of said outer case at least twice as great as the distance between said main sounding board and said auxiliary sounding board and means attaching said second case to said outer case.

3. In a stringed musical instrument, an outer case including a front, forming a main sounding board, and a back; and a second case within said outer case including an auxiliary sounding board smaller in area than said front and facing and spaced from said front, and an outer Wall depending from the edge of said auxiliary sounding board, carrying said auxiliary sounding board and disposed upon said back.

4. In a stringed musical instrument, an outer case including a front, forming a main sounding board, and a back; and a second case within said outer case including an auxiliary sounding board facing and spaced from said front, and imperforate end and side walls carrying said auxiliary sounding board and disposed upon said back.

5. In a stringed musical instrument, an outer case including a front, forming a main sounding board, and Walls normal to said front; a second case within said outer case having a wall forming an auxiliary sounding board disposed in facing relation with said main sounding board, said second case also having walls normal to said wall forming said auxiliary sounding board and attached thereto; and means suspending said second case within said outer case, including a member extending from one of said walls normal to said front and terminating in one of said walls normal to said wall forming said auxiliary sounding board, said member being free of direct attachment with said auxiliary sounding board.

6. In a stringed instrument, an outer case including a front, forming a main sounding board, and end and side walls; a finger board at an end of said case, including a depending member extending along the outer surface of one of said end walls; a second case within the outer case, having a wall facing and spaced from said front, said last named wall forming an auxiliary sounding board, said second case also including end walls and side walls; and means suspending said second case within said outer case, including a member extending from an end wall of said second case to and through an end wall of said outer case and with an end of said member bearing against said depending member.

'7. In a stringed musical instrument, an outer case including a front, providing a sounding board, a back, end Walls and side walls; a finger board at an end of said case including a depending member attached to and extending along a portion of one of said walls; a second case within said outer case having a wall facing and spaced from said front, providing a second sounding board, end and side walls spaced from and facing said end and side walls of said outer case, and a Wall facing and spaced from said back; and means suspending said second case within and attached to said outer case, including a bridging member connected at one end to the wall having said depending member attached thereto and connected at its opposite end to one of said walls of said second case, said bridging member being connected with said wall, having said depending member attached thereto, at said portion mentioned.

8. In a stringed musical instrument having dual sounding boards, a case including a main sounding board having an aperture therein, an auxiliary sounding board Within said case, spaced from and facing said main sounding board and having an aperture substantially opposed to said first aperture, a diaphragm covering said second-named aperture, a bridge disposed upon said diaphragm and projecting through said first named aperture, and strings operatively connected to said outer case and disposed upon said bridge.

9. In a stringed musical instrument of the dual sounding board type, a case including a main sounding board having a slot therein; an auxiliary sounding board Within said case, spaced from and facing said main sounding board and having an aperture substantially opposed to said slot; diaphragm means disposed in said aperture including a collar extending through said aperture, a. flange extending outwardly from said collar and disposed upon the face of said auxiliary sounding board facing said main sounding board and a diaphragm secured to said flange and covering the opening defined by said collar; a bridge disposed upon said diaphragm and projecting through said slot; and strings operatively connected to said outer case and disposed upon said bridge.

WILLIAM C. STOWE. 

